The rollout of the federal health care website has been nothing short of a disaster.

The snafus that could have, should have, been worked out before its launch have aggravated, frustrated and flummoxed every poor soul who has tried to shop for coverage online.

Federal officials are expected to release statistics this week on the number of subscribers who have been able to sign up for health insurance via Healthcare.gov.

There is no Champagne on ice awaiting that announcement.

All of that technical bumbling, however, makes a new initiative of the New Jersey Hospital Association to hire U.S. military veterans as certified navigators for the Affordable Care Act options seem all the more brilliant.

The one-year program addresses the unemployment rate for veterans, which is hovering around 10 percent in New Jersey, and the plethora of questions about the new insurance marketplace and the best way to access it.

With that nexus in place, the veterans will help individuals and families through the process of enrolling for coverage, Times staffer Mike Davis reported this week. They also will assist in reaching out to the estimated 900,000 New Jersey residents in need of insurance.

The veterans are uniquely qualified for their new assignment, says Betsy Ryan, New Jersey Hospital Association president and CEO.

“These men and women bring a wonderful skill set with them and a commitment to serve that makes them well-suited for this new mission,” Ryan said. “They’re our boots on the ground helping more uninsured Americans gain access to health benefits.”

The project is funded through a $1.8 million grant from New Jersey Health Initiatives, an arm of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The 25 veterans will be stationed at hospitals and community centers throughout the state to help people register for an insurance plan offered under the Affordable Care Act or state Medicaid and FamilyCare programs.

Fittingly, the new employment opportunity was announced during a Veterans Day event hosted by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton. The vets, now known as certified application counselors following their training, were diving right in to their new job by answering consumers’ questions about enrollment.

While many still disagree with it, ACA is expected to result in coverage for millions of those previously uninsured. But the road to that goal remains a daunting one, leading through uncharted territory. Veterans who have been trained to cut through the clutter toward a clear objective seem ideally suited for this work.